Jar lid wrench



VW. MMFECLMY JAR LIED WRENCH Filed Dec. 19, 1947' INVENTOR.

my www y Patented Feb. 7, 195@ TENT OFFICE i claim. l

This invention relates to a jar lid` wrench, and has for its primaryobject to provide a wrench which is readily adjustable to tighten orremove jar lids', and which when used for either purpose will apply agripping force to the jar lid proper tional to the resistance to turningthe same, and which will apply the gripping force over a substantialarea of the periphery of the lid, without ripping oir or flattening thecorrugations of the same.

Further objects of the invention reside in the provision of a wrench ofthe type described which will be convenient in use, simple inconstruction and operation, and easy to manufacture,

The foregoing and other objects and features of the invention will bemade fully apparent to those skilled in the art from a consideration ofthe following detailed description taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a jar wrench constructed in accordancewith the invention, showing in full lines the position of the parts asapplied to a jar lid for removing the lid and in dotted lines theposition of the parts for tightening the same.

Figure 2 shows the wrench in side elevation.

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view of the wrench.

In the drawing, reference numeral ii) indicates the wrench handle, whichmay for example be a relatively flat stamping of stainless steel. Thehandle l!! terminates at one end in an arcuate jaw II, constituting thestationary jaw of the wrench which jaw is preferably of greaterthickness than the handle I0. The jaw is provided with teeth I2correspondingly spaced to the usual or standard corrugations on a jarlid or ring such as indicated at I3. The handle l) is provided with alongitudinally extending slot I4 having arcuate notches I5, IB and Ilextending transversely thereto and on both sides thereof. A link I8,provided with a perforation adjacent one end to accommodate a bolt i9for pivotally mounting the same on the handle I8. The bolt i9 extendsthrough the slot of the notched portion of the Ble-3.44.) Q

2 Spanner keeping the jaws at the right dista-nce apart to fit into therecesses or eorrugations on the rings and lids, may be adjusted for anyof the three standard jar rings or lids. For the small size, the bolt i9is slipped into the notch l5, either to the right or left of the slot I4depending on whether the lid is to be removed or tightened. For themedium sizes the notch. lr6 is used and for the larger size the notchI'I is used. Assuming that the wrench is to be applied to a medium sizecan or jar for removing a ring or lid therefrom, the parts arepositioned as shown in full lines in Figure 1.

In applying the wrench to a jar lid for the purpose of removing the samethe movable jaw 2| may be swung on the pivot 22 so that the right handend thereof is somewhat above the position shown in full lines in Figure1 to the end that a relatively wide space is left between the ends ofthe jaws on the right hand side to permit the jar lid I3 to be receivedtherebetween. As the jaw 2l engages the periphery of the jar lid andswinging of the handle I to the right brings the stationary jaw firmlyagainst the periphery of the jar lid, the link I8 swinging upon thepivots 22 and i9. Any further turning of the handle I0 to the right,that is in a counter-clockwise direction, turns the lid in a directionto remove the same while applying a gripping force proportional to theresistance to the turning movement.

When the jar lid is to be tightened upon the jar the bolt I9 is slippedinto the proper notch on the left side of the slot I4, and the link I8slants to the right, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 1. The end ofthe jaw 2l at the left side of the drawing is now well spaced from theouter end of the stationary jaw on this side so that a jar lid mayreadily be received between the jaws, and as the handle Il is turned ina clockwise drection, the jaws close on the rim of the lid and apply agripping pressure as long as the handle lll is turned in this direction.The gripping force will again increase with an increased resistance tothe turning movement in this direction.

To release the wrench from the lid it is only necessary to swing thehandle I0 in a direction opposite to the direction in which it is turnedto apply the clamping force to the lid. Thus after the lid has beentightened upon the jar it will be seen that by turning the handle I0 ina counterclockwise direction the link I8, which under thesecircumstances is in the dotted line position, will swing the jaws awayfrom the periphery of the lid. That this is true will be apparent, if,for the sake of simplicity, we consider the pin 22 as a stationary pivotpoint, and it will be seen that whether the parts are in the positionshown in full or dotted lines, turning the handle in the reversedirection to the lid removing or tightening operations, respectively,will throw the jaw I I away from the periphery of the lid I3, this movement being reverse of the gripping movement.

While there has been herein described a preferred embodiment of theinvention other embodirnnts within the scope of the appended claim willbe fully apparent to those skilled in the art from a consideration ofthe form shown and the teachings hereof.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

A jar lid wrench, comprising an elongated iiat handle, an arcuate jawformed integral with the handle and disposed at the forward end of thehandle and projecting laterally outwardly upon opposite sides of thehandle, the forward edge of the arcuate jaw having teeth to coact withcorrugations on the side of the jaw lid, the handle being providedlongitudinally rearwardly of the arcuate jaw with an elongated straightlongitudinal slot and a plurality of relatively short transverse arcuatesiots crossing the longitudinal slot and intersecting the same, thetransverse arcuate slots being spaced apart longitudinally and beingsubstantially concentric with the arcu ate jaw, the transverse arcuateslots extending laterally outwardly upon opposite sides of thelongitudinal slot, an elongated straight link slidably mounted upon oneside of the handle, a bolt secured to the link and extending through theslots of the handle for pivotally connecting the link and handle, thelink extending forwardly of the arcuate jaw for a substantial distanceand rearwardly of the longitudinal slot of the handle, a pivot pinsecured to the forward end of the link, and a forward companion arcuatejaw plvotally mounted upon the pin and extending laterally upon oppositesides or the link, the inner edge of the forward arcuate jaw havingteeth to coact with the corrugations of the jaw lid, the bolt secured tothe link being shiftable in the longitudinal slot and transverse arcuateslots.

WILLIAM BARCLAY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the rile ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 921,250 Hough May 11, 1909953,467 Kahn Mar. 29, 1910 1,168,669 Murdick et al Jan. 18, 19161,913,535 Cressey June 13, 1933 2,093,658 I-Iildenbrand Sept. 21, 1937

